Holding clip for pocket instrument



, Sept. 16, 1969 R. M. JENKINS HOLDING CLIP FOR POCKET INSTRUMENT FiledOct. 21, 1966 Roy M. Jenkins,

INVENTOR.

GOLOVE a KL EINBERG,

ATTORNFVQ United States Patent 3,466,708 HOLDING CLIP FOR POCKETINSTRUMENT Roy M. Jenkins, North Hollywood, Calif., assignor to LindyPen Company Incorporated, North Hollywood,

Callf.

Filed Oct. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 588,374 Int. Cl. B43k 25/00 U.S. CI. 241112 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates topocket clips for pens, pencils and the like and, more particularly to aclip that does not rely on spring tension for its holding action.

In the prior art, clips for pocket instruments have generally included aspring arm which extends from a point of attachment and, at its freeend, exerts a substantial force orthogonal to the barrel of the deviceto which it is attached. Typical clips of this type are shown, forexample, in the design patents to E. Douglas, Design 148,917, I. M.Kahn, Design 177,816 or in the patent to Nielson 1,407,474. Other,similar, clips are shown, for example, in the patent to Miner 1,144,426or the patent to C. J. Macnally, Design 107,438.

It would appear that the prior art teaches, rather universally, that aclip for a pocket instrument should include an inwardly directed bead orgripping portion which has applied to it, a substantial force normal tothe barrel and directed to the barrel so that a substantial grippingforce is developed between the barrel and the bead.

Obviously, as the spring arm loses its elasticity or is deformed orotherwise bent away from the barrel, the holding force applied againstthe barrel is diminished or, in the case of deformation, is lost and theclip is no longer useful. Further, the conventional spring clip, oncemechanically deformed, is rarely ever made satisfactorily useful byattempts at physically bearing the spring arm back into holdingengagement with the barrel.

Therefore, what is needed, and what is provided by the present inventionis a holding clip that does not rely upon a holding force normal to theinstrument which must be exerted at a point remote from the point ofattachment. According to the present invention, a clip is providedwhich, on is inner surface adjacent the barrel, has a surface whichconverges, relative to the surface of the barrel to a relatively tightfit at the point of attachment to the barrel. The holding action is morenearly analagous to that of an old-fashioned clothes pin which pinchedthe fabric about the clothes line with its converging arms. The clip ofthe present invention may either be integral with the pen barrel, or maybe attached by an encircling band. In a preferred embodiment, employingan encircling band, one or more projections are provided at the interiorof the band to maintain a tight frictional fit on the barrel.

The present clip, if made of .a plastic material, is intended to besubstantially untensioned, and therefore any cold flow of the plasticdoes not impair the holding ability of the clip. In alternativeembodiments, a clip according to the present invention can be moldedonto the barrel as an integral part thereof.

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-In yet other embodiments, clips according to the present invention canbe otherwise fastened to the barrel through the use of adhesives, orwith stakes or staples. It is also within the scope of the presentinvention to provide a metal clip member, using a material which issubstantially inelastic, although it may be flexible. [In such anembodiment, the clip may be attached to the barrel by any of theconventional methods.

Accordingly, it an object to provide a novel clip for pocket instrumentswhich holds through a wedging action.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a pocketclip made of an inelastic material.

It is yet another object to provide a novel and inexpensive holding clipfor pocket instruments which can be made of the same 'material thatcomprises the instrument.

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of theinvention both as to its organization and method of operation, togetherwith further objects and advantages thereof, will be better understoodfrom the following description considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which several embodiments of the invention areillustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood,however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration anddescription only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits ofthe invention.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a portion of a typical instrument having aholding clip according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end section view of the clip and instrument of FIG. 1,taken along the line 2-2 in the direction of the appended arrows;

FIG. 3 is an end section view of the pocket instrument and clip of FIG.1, taken along line 3--3 in the direction of the appended arrows;

FIG. 4 is an end section view of the pocket instrument and clip of FIG.1, taken along the line 44 in the direction of the appended arrows;

FIG. 5 is a side view of a pocket instrument having a holding clip,integrally formed therewith according to an alternative embodiment ofthe present invention;

(RIG. 6 is a cross section view of a portion of an alternative clip armaccording to the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a cross section view of yet another alternative pocketinstrument clip arm.

Turning first to FIGS. 1 through 4, there is shown a conventional pocketinstrument which, for purposes of illustration, may be a nonrefillableball point pen such as is sold by the assignee of the present inventionunder the trademark Lindy. A barrel portion 12, shown herein assubstantially cylindrical is provided with a holding clip 14 to enablethe pocket instrument 10 to be held in a clothing pocket or the like.The clip 14 includes a barrel encircling portion 16 which attaches theclip to the pocket instrument 10. Molded into the inner surface of theencircling portion 16 are one or more projections 17 to maintain a tightfrictional fit. The clip 14 also includes a gripping arm 18 and a pocketengaging ball portion 20.

The holding clip 14 in the present embodiment is made of a substantiallyflexible, plastic material, which has a low modulus of elasticity. Theinner surface 22 of the gripping arm 18, in this embodiment, if ofangular cross section, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. The inner surface22 converges toward the barrel 12, from its point of support at the ballportion 20, to the point of attachment at the barrel encircling portion16.

In use, a sheet of a fabric, which corresponds to a pocket element isengaged between the barrel 12 and the ball portion 20 and the pocketinstrument is moved into further engagement with the pocket elements. Ata distance, depending upon the deformation characteristic of thegripping arm 18 and the space provided between the inner surface 22 andthe barrel 12, an equilibrium condition will be reached, where thepocket element has advanced into the aperture, as far as it can go. Thefrictional engagement of the pocket material by the inner surface 22 ofthe gripping arm 18 tends to hold the pocket instrument in place, andwill resist most dislodging forces.

Turning to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, it is seen that the opening between thebarrel 12 and the inner surface 22 of the gripping arm increases towardthe free or ball portion end of the clip. One pen clip made according tothe present invention was made from polypropylene, which is not normallyconsidered an elastic material, although it is quite flexible.

It is also considered within the scope of the present invention to molda pocket clip from the same plastic or other material that is used inthe fabrication of the pocket instrument barrel adjacent which the clipis normally positioned.

Turning to FIG. 5, there is shown, in side view, an alternativeembodiment of a holding clip for a pocket instrument in which the clipis integral with the body of the pocket instrument. As seen, a pocketinstrument is provided with an integral shoulder or boss 32, from whicha gripping arm 34 extends terminating in a head or gripping portion 36.Such a pocket instrument would conventionally be made of a materialwhich might tend to be more rigid and less elastic than a material suchas polypropylene.

In such an embodiment, the inner surface 38 of the arm portion might beformed into a shallow curve, which converges to the main body of thepocket instrument 30 at the boss or shoulder 32. The particular angle ofconvergence between the arm inner surface and the pocket instrumentbarrel, is a matter of design choice, based upon the size and weight ofthe pocket instrument and the weight and texture of the pocket materialin conjunction with which the instrument is to be used. Obviously, ifthe instrument is intended to be carried in a pocket made of a heavy,weighty fabric, a relatively large gap should be provided between thearm and the body of the instrument.

Turning to FIG. 6, there is shown in cross section an alternativeembodiment of a clip according to the present invention in which a cliparm has an angled inner surface 52 which cooperates with a flat portion54 of the body 56 of a pocket instrument. Also shown is a section of afabric 58 segment, which may be a portion of the material from which apocket is made.

Referring next to FIG. 7, there is shown yet another embodiment of aclip according to a present invention which utilizes a rounded innersurface for the clip arm. As shown, a pocket instrument 70 is providedwith a curved surface, next adjacent a holding clip arm 72. The innersurface 74 of the clip arm 72 assumes a rounded cross-sectional shape,and a sheet of planar material 76 is shown interposed between the innersurface 74 of the clip arm 72 and the body portion of the pocketinstrument 70.

Other variations and alteration will be obvious to those skilled in theart without departing from the basic principles of the presentinvention, which has provided a novel holding clip for a pocketinstrument such as a fountain pen, ball point, pencils, flashlight,thermometer, optical instrument, and any other device adapted to becarried in a pocket and held thereto by a clip.

A holding action is provided, by a pinching of the pocket materialbetween the clip arm and the body of the pocket instrument, ascontrasted with the conventional spring clip which holds by a forceapplied to the free end of the clip member which is substantially normalto the body of the pocket instrument.

.According to the present invention, no holding force is developed atthe free end of the clip arm but rather the holding action is created bya wedging of the pocket between the clip arm and the body portion of thepocket instrument. The inner surface of the arm of the clip convergestoward the body portion and, at the point of attachment of the clip tothe pocket instrument, virtually no clearance is provided between theinner surface of the arm and the body portion.

A clip according to the present invention need not be made of a materialwhich is highly elastic or which can apply a substantial tension to thefree end of the clip arm. Rather, the clip arm may, at its free end berather limber and flexible or, in the case of stiffer materials, mayeven be fairly rigid.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A holding clip for a pocket instrument comprising in combination:

(a) attachment means for affixing the clip to a pocket instrument;

(b) a clip arm having a free end and an attached end connected to saidattachment means and the pocket instrument, said clip arm being ofpredetermined dimensions which gradually and uniformly increase in crosssectional thickness from said free end towards said attached end and aninner surface converging from the free end of said clip arm toward thepoint of attachment of said clip arm to the pocket instrument and havinga suitable cross section for making substantially line contact withmaterial inserted between said clip arm and the pocket instrument.

2. The holding clip of claim 1, wherein said clip arm is made of asubstantially rigid material.

3. The holding clip of claim 1, wherein said clip arm is made of aflexible, substantially inelastic material.

4. The holding clip of claim 1, wherein said ll; arm inner surface hasan angular cross section for making a line contact with a material to beengaged.

5. The holding clip of claim 1, wherein said clip arm inner surface hasa rounded convex cross section.

6. The holding clip of claim 1, wherein the said clip arm inner surfaceconverges to meet the pocket instrument at the point of attachment.

7. The holding clip of claim 1, wherein said clip arm inner surfaceconvergingly approaches the pocket instrument but is spaced therefrom atthe point of attachment.

8. The holding clip of claim 1, wherein said attachment means includes apocket instrument encircling member.

9. The holding clip of claim 1, wherein said attachment means includes aband partially encircling the pocket instrument.

10. The holding clip of claim 1, wherein said clip arm is integrallymolded to the pocket instrument.

11. A holding clip for a pocket instrument comprising a holding armattachable to the pocket instrument, said holding arm having a free endand an inner surface adapted to be positioned adjacent the pocketinstrument, said holding arm being of substantially rigid material ofpredetermined dimensions which gradually and uniformly increase in crosssectional thickness from the free end thereof towards the point ofattachment to the pocket instrument; said holding arm inner surfaceconverging from said free end toward the point of attachment to thepocket instrument, and having a suitable cross section for makingsubstantially line contact with a material to be engaged, whereby amaterial inserted between said holding arm and the body of the pocketinstrument is held by a frictional, wedging engagement.

12. The combination of claim 11, wherein said holding clip is anintegral part of the pocket instrument.

(References on following page) 5 6 References Cited 2,189,963 2/1940Schoneberger 2411 1,361,732 12/1920 Johnston.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,837,801 6/1958 Seibert et a1. 24 11 1/1919Goldstein 24-11 XR 10/1933 Merzon 24-11 5 FOREIGN PATENTS 6/1941Sullivan 2411 952,936 5/1949 France.

12/1944 Kahn et a1. 24-11 19,566 1908 Great Britain.

5/1966 Wesenberg 24-11 X 917,280 1/ 1963 Great Britain.

2/ 1959 Zepelovitch 24-11 X 10 1951 Weiss 24 11 X 10 DONALD A. GRIFFIN,Primary Examiner

